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What Had Happened Was: 10/10/17

Marwin Gonzalez #9 of the Houston Astros poses in the clubhouse after defeating the Boston Red Sox 5-4 in game four of the American League Division Series at Fenway Park on October 9, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Astros advance to the American League Championship Series. Elsa/Getty Images

Game. blouses.

The Houston Astros advanced to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) after closing out their series over the Boston Red Sox, 3-1, with a 5-4 win on Monday. Astros right-hander Justin Verlander, the Game 1 starter, came out of the bullpen for the first time in his career to help propel Houston to victory while outdueling Red Sox ace Chris Sale, who also pitched in relief after starting the first game of the series. The Astros will appear in their first ALCS, having moved over to the AL from the National League in 2013. Houston will begin the ALCS on Friday, either at Cleveland or at home against New York. The Yankees beat the Indians, 7-3, on Monday to force a decisive Game 5.

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will have season-ending surgery on his left ankle, which he fractured in his team’s 27-22 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Beckham suffered the injury while going up for a catch in the fourth quarter and was promptly carted off the field in tears. Further tests on Monday confirmed that Beckham’s ankle will need to be surgically repaired before he’s able to take the field again. “I spoke to him after the game,” Giants head coach Ben McAdoo said Monday. “It’s a sad situation.” Beckham’s 2017 campaign ended with 25 catches for 302 yards and three touchdowns in just four games. (He missed the season opener with a sprain on the same ankle that he suffered in preseason.)

Joel Embiid agreed to a five-year designated rookie scale max contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 7-foot center came to terms of the new deal worth $148 million on Monday, about a week before the start of the 2017-18 NBA season. Philadelphia drafted Embiid with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, although he didn’t touch the floor until last season after sitting out his first two years in the league because of injury. The 23-year-old Embiid was given the massive contract despite playing only 31 games in his young career. “There’s still a lot of work to be done. You know, when you look at his body of work — only playing 31 games, and really he’s only been playing basketball for six years … he’s just scratching the surface,” said 76ers head coach Brett Brown.

ICYMI

On this day in sports history

On Oct. 10, 1994, the New York Giants retired linebacker Lawrence Taylor’s No. 56 jersey at halftime of a game against the Minnesota Vikings. Taylor, whose 13-year career ended in 1993, became the 12th and most recent Giants player to have his jersey retired. With 10 first-team All-Pro selections, three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards (1981, 1982, 1986) and one NFL MVP award (1986), Taylor is often regarded as the best defensive player, and one of the best overall players, in the history of the league. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Picture-perfect

Aaron Dodson is an associate editor at The Undefeated. Often mistaken for Aaron Dobson, formerly of the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals, he was one letter away from being an NFL wide receiver.